Guides for Help Paying Medical Bills |
By Frank Jones on December 28, 2010
.jpg.aspx) There are many resources available to help with paying medical bills. Some are less helpful than others, but with some careful shopping you can avoid these pitfalls. The Office of Health Care Access in Connecticut, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and Medicare have each compiled their own guides which offer suggestions for finding help paying medical bills. The three main categories below are the main bullet points of the suggestions provided by these guides.
Negotiation
Each of these guides suggests that you begin by examining your medical bills and negotiating your debt. Sometimes you will be able to negotiate your medical bills over the phone by calling either your insurance company or the billing department of your health care provider. However, it is often easier to layout the details of your situation on paper. In which case, it is best to send a letter to ask for a reduction in your payments, confirm your debt, or lower your interest rate. When reviewing your medial bills and negotiating their payment it is important to remember that every dollar saved in this step will save many more in interest charges.
Consolidation
Once you have verified your debt and negotiated any settlements it is time to consider consolidating any remaining bills to protect your credit rating. You need to consider this option carefully before taking action because it is not always the best option for every financial situation. One potential side effect of using debt consolidation to help pay medical bills is that you may place you home in jeopardy if you are unable to make the minimum payments. There are benefits and drawbacks to any debt consolidation program and you must make sure your are well-informed before accepting any payment arrangement.
Grants & Scams
Keep in mind that although you are trying to do the right thing and pay your medical bills, there are some organizations which will attempt to prey on unwary consumers. Government grant lists are one such program that often takes advantage of people looking for help paying medical bills. Additionally, there are many bogus debt negotiation services which will try to take advantage of you. Maintaining a healthy skepticism while shopping for financial services will help you to avoid such problems. |
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